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Questions About HERO and HERO Live!

What is HERO?

HERO is a multimedia library of American history resources aimed at grades 4 to 8. HERO features programs from Colonial Williamsburg’s award-winning Electronic Field Trip Series and includes video, student web activities, and teacher lesson plans. HERO also includes resources from our Teacher Institute and other programs.

What is HERO Live! ?

Since 1995, Colonial Williamsburg has produced award-winning educational programs, known as Electronic Field Trips, which combine live broadcasts with online classroom resources. Our live broadcast programs, also available via live stream, will now be known as HERO Live!, and the companion resources will reside within HERO.

How is HERO different from HERO Live! ?

HERO is a multimedia library of classroom and homeschool American history resources aimed at grades 4 to 8.

HERO Live! is a live broadcast on television and live streaming that includes video from HERO. HERO Live! broadcasts occur seven times during the school year and viewers can interact with historians, experts, and characters from the show during the broadcast.

How is HERO different from Electronic Field Trips?

Since 1995, Colonial Williamsburg has produced award-winning educational programs, known as Electronic Field Trips, which combine live broadcasts with online classroom resources. Our live broadcast programs, also available via live stream, are now known as HERO Live!, and the companion resources will reside within HERO. HERO will contain resources from previous Electronic Field Trips as well as those in the current and future broadcast seasons. “Electronic Field Trips” are not going away – they are now part of HERO and HERO Live!

How much does HERO cost?

The cost is $250 for a one-year school-wide site license.

How do I subscribe to HERO?

You may subscribe online or by calling 1-800-761-8331. If you choose to pay by purchase order or check, your subscription will be activated when the purchase order or check is received.

What does my $250.00 subscription include?

Online on-demand access for one full year

Starting August 1, 2015, 50+ thematic programs

Dramatic/documentary videos

Multidisciplinary teacher guides

Interactive web activities

Video scripts

Program content and activities correlated to state and national standards

Monitored message boards for student questions and discussion

Exclusive interaction with characters and historians during HERO Live! broadcasts

Recording rights of HERO Live! broadcasts

Technical assistance

May my students access the HERO content from home?

Yes, as long as you have given them your username and password.

I purchased a HERO subscription. May I share it with other teachers?

HERO subscriptions are a school-wide site license, which means that anyone at your physical location may use the same subscription and access code. See our Acceptable Use Policy.

How do my students post on the message board? (2014-2015 subscribers only)

To comment on an existing message, go to the message, click "Reply" under the post, write your name and message in the text boxes, then click "Save" to post your new comment.

To post a new question or comment:

After selecting the board, click "Post new comment" at the bottom of the page. Type the question into the text box. Students should sign their messages using only their first names.

To view the post prior to submission, click "Preview." To post the message to the board, click "Save."

May HERO subscribers participate in the HERO Live! broadcasts?

How do I find a broadcaster in my area?

See if your local public television station, educational access channel, or cable provider broadcasts HERO Live! on our Broadcast TV Stations page.

I don’t have a broadcaster in my area. Can I still participate in the live program?

Yes! We also provide the broadcast via live online video streaming. Register for our Live Broadcast Stream.

Can my local broadcaster carry HERO Live! ?

Yes! Contact HEROSupport@cwf.org for assistance making a request to your local public television station.

Can I test the stream ahead of time?

Yes, we strongly suggest that you test your setup prior to the each HERO Live! broadcast!

We offer a live test stream from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the Tuesday before each broadcast. Since it is live, this is an accurate test of what your stream will look like on broadcast day.

On broadcast day, we begin streaming about 30 minutes prior to the live program. You will see the title of the HERO Live! broadcast and hear music. The live program begins at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

How many computers may we use during the broadcast?

This depends on the size of your bandwidth. If it is low, we suggest that you stream video on only one computer at a time.

Can I watch the live stream on my iOS device or on my Android tablet or phone?

Our live stream is browser-based and scalable so should function well within your preferred browser.

What about firewalls?

Many educational institutions use firewalls to protect users from hackers, spam, or large attachments. These firewalls can limit your ability to stream video. If you have difficulty running the video stream when you test your streaming video setup, explain to your network administrator what you would like to do. You may need to give them access with your login and password to the streaming test page so that they can provide the necessary adjustments. For a one-hour, curriculum-driven program, he or she can temporarily adjust the firewall settings for broadcast day.

How can I interact with HERO Live! ?

All of our viewers, whether or not they have a subscription, can participate in the broadcast.

Twitter - Viewers can ask questions and post comments on Twitter @CWFlearn or follow the conversation using the program’s hashtag (for example #ResearchHERO).

How can HERO subscribers interact with HERO Live! ?

Students in schools subscribed to HERO have access to exclusive interactivity under the “Live Broadcast” tab on the HERO site.

Call-In Live - Students in subscribed schools can call to ask our characters and historians questions. Student questions that do not get answered on air are answered by a team of trained volunteers and content experts.

Twitter - Classrooms can ask questions and post comments on Twitter @CWFlearn or follow the conversation using the program’s hashtag (for example #IroncladsHERO). Please note that this option is open to the public.

How do HERO subscribers call in live?

Each broadcast has a different toll-free number. The number is found in HERO on the “Live Broadcast” page for each program. It will not be shown on the screen and is only available to subscribers.

Each student will be asked for their question, first name, and city.

Questions are screened:

To an expert or historian to answer.

To possibly go on air.

Questions are selected to go on air based on suitability and timing in the broadcast.

If your student’s question is in the line-up to go on the air, he or she will be placed on hold. Don’t hang up! Students will be able to hear the program through the telephone. Sometimes calls will be held over from one segment to the next.

Time is extremely limited, so the student who is asking the question (not the teacher) must be on the phone when the operator answers.

Students must listen for their name to be called over the phone, not on the program itself, because there is a time delay. When the student hears their name over the phone, he or she should ask the question in a strong, clear voice.

It is very important to turn down the program volume in the classroom when your student is on the air with a question. Otherwise, feedback will make it difficult to hear! Other students in the room will need to be quiet, too.